Amid US efforts to broker new ceasefire in Lebanon, Israeli defense minister warns that IDF will resume bombing of Beirut-area Hezbollah stronghold if attacks continue
By World Israel News Staff
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Tuesday that Israel will strike Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs if attacks on northern Israel continue, saying the government will no longer allow quiet in Lebanon’s capital while Israeli communities remain under fire.
Speaking at the Defense Ministry’s annual defense export conference, Katz said Israel had held back from major strikes in Beirut at Washington’s request while the United States pursued contacts with Iran.
“At the request of the United States, the IDF until yesterday refrained from powerful strikes in Beirut, except for targeted eliminations, due to Washington’s contacts for an agreement with Iran,” Katz said.
He said Israel had now moved to establish a new equation with Hezbollah.
“We will no longer accept a situation in which there is quiet in Beirut while Israeli communities are under rocket and drone attacks,” Katz said.
“If Israeli communities continue to be attacked, we will evacuate and strike the Shiite Dahiyeh district in Beirut, which is Hezbollah’s stronghold,” he added.
Katz said the IDF had issued broad evacuation notices to residents of Dahiyeh ahead of possible strikes, and that about 600,000 of the district’s roughly 950,000 residents had left by Monday evening.
He also said there was no ceasefire in Lebanon and that the fighting was continuing “at full force.”
According to Katz, Israel’s immediate objective is the complete demilitarization of the area between the current Israeli-controlled zone and the Litani River, while maintaining Israeli freedom of action and security control. He said Israel’s long-term goal remains the full disarmament of Hezbollah.
The remarks came during a volatile week in Lebanon, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs in response to rocket and drone fire on Israel.
Lebanon’s embassy in Washington said Monday that Hezbollah had accepted a US proposal for a mutual halt to attacks with Israel.
Under the proposal, Israel would stop strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs while Hezbollah would halt its attacks on Israel, according to a statement shared by the Lebanese presidency.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah told the group’s Al-Manar television that Hezbollah supported a full ceasefire as a first step toward an Israeli withdrawal, and said the group would watch in the coming days to see whether the ceasefire holds.
Despite those diplomatic efforts, fighting continued in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
Israel says Hezbollah has repeatedly violated ceasefire understandings and used southern Lebanon to launch rockets, missiles and drones at Israeli civilians and soldiers.
The latest threats against Dahiyeh followed Israel’s deepest ground push into Lebanon in more than two decades, including the seizure of Beaufort Castle, a medieval fortress overlooking the Litani River that Israel previously held during its 1982-2000 presence in southern Lebanon.
Netanyahu has said Israel will continue operating in Lebanon to protect northern communities.
“I instructed the military to expand its ground maneuver in Lebanon,” Netanyahu said.
The expanding campaign has drawn warnings from foreign governments that further escalations in Lebanon could harm Israel’s diplomatic position.
But Katz said Israel’s policy would be guided by the security of its northern residents.
His message was that Beirut would no longer be treated as immune from heavy Israeli fire if Hezbollah keeps attacking Israel.
“The rule for the Dahiyeh district in Beirut is the same as the rule for communities in northern Israel,” Katz said.
